Losing Control
by Jville
Summary: Finished!! Donovan and the team work two different assignments but the targets turn up dead.
1. Acting Strange

Losing Control  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of UC Undercover. I just borrowed them for a while. All other characters are mine. Certain characters are friends of mine and I have their permission to use their names.  
  
Elaina was sitting in her office doing her least favorite thing, paperwork. Even with Andy Rawlinson as her right hand, she still had plenty of papers to shuffle through. She put her glasses up on her head and rubbed her eyes. She looked at the clock it was only 10 am.  
  
"Time for a break. After all you came in early to get this work, done you deserve it," Elaina said out loud to herself. "You're losing it girl you're talking to yourself again." She smiled knowing she did it again. She went over to the bar, in her office, to get a bottle of water. There was a knock on the door. She sighed at having her quite time interrupted. "Yes?" She said as she opened the door.  
  
"I'm sorry but your secretary isn't at her desk." The messenger handed her an envelope.  
  
"Thank you," Elaina said has he left. She looked at it; she knew it was safe to open because in this day and age all packages went through security measures before they were delivered. She noticed there was no return address to speak of, just Chicago, Illinois, printed in the corner.  
  
She went back to her desk to open it. Inside were pictures. She looked through them becoming upset by what she saw in them. She put the pictures back in the envelope and grabbed her coat and bag as she left her office.  
  
Andy was coming down the hall when he saw Elaina and met her at the elevator. "Are you in a hurry?" He noticed how she kept punching the button.  
  
"Yes, I'm on my way to possibly kill my husband."  
  
"You're joking right?" Andy asked with a laugh.  
  
The elevator door opened and she stepped in. "Maybe." The doors shut before Andy could see if she was serious.  
  
*****  
  
"Jake, is Burrell ready to deal with us yet?" Frank was being updated on the case that Jake and Alex were on.  
  
"If Alex has his partner eating out of her hand he will." Jake replied. Torrelli is the hold up he doesn't trust me as much as Burrell."  
  
"Alex, have you persuaded Mr. Torrelli yet?" Frank saw the smirk on Alex's face.  
  
"He seems to be cozying up to the idea. He said he'd do anything for me, all I had to do was ask." She used the southern drawl she used on the case. "He didn't expect his sweet innocent girlfriend to know about the drug world."  
  
Jake choked on his coffee as she called herself sweet and innocent. For his laughter he got an icy glare from Frank and a jab in the ribs from Alex. "Ouch that hurt!"  
  
"Good." Alex continued her story. "I've convinced him to make the deal, they have no other choice. I'm sure he'll tell Burrell to deal with Jake."  
  
"True. We did give them only one alternative, having detained their other buyers. If they want to get rid of the shipment, they'll have to deal with us," Jake said.  
  
"Good. Monica, how are you doing on those files for Agent Blakely?" Frank asked.  
  
"Cody and I've come up with three possibilities so far. But we're barely half way through them." Monica pointed to the stack of files. "With Sab out, Cody is doing double duty, and it's taking a while."  
  
They were given the task of sifting through files of possible terrorist suspects. Elaina's department has now been asked by the President himself to do this for the Homeland Security Office. A task that she didn't need or want but you just don't say no to the President and not suffer in your career.  
  
"Okay, I'll be in my office." Frank took the three files up to his office and shut the door. Jake and Alex took off to the small office they set up near the target.  
  
"He's been hiding out a lot lately. He even leaves at odd times during the day. He's been acting stranger than normal," Cody said walking over to the operations board to monitor Jake and Alex. "Think he and the Mrs. are on the outs again?"  
  
"That's none of our business Cody. We have work to do so let's get to it." Monica brought over a few of the files for him to check out.  
  
"I wish Sab would hurry back from her personal leave." Cody missed her and was also in the dark as to why she needed the personal leave. All he knew was that she wasn't at her place or Bea's.  
  
They heard the entry door slam shut. Cody looked over to see Elaina walking in. "Where is he?" she asked walking in angry.  
  
Cody pointed to the office. Elaina stopped at the staircase and took her coat off trying to calm herself before going up. She took the envelope with her as she started up the steps when she almost reached the top Frank came out. "I thought I heard your voice." Frank smiled at her but quickly noticed she wasn't.  
  
"Get back in the office. I've something to discuss with you." Elaina shoved him back through the door and slammed it shut.  
  
"I guess I was right, they're on the outs," Cody said. "At least as far as she's is concerned."  
  
Back in the office Elaina threw the envelope at Frank. "Explain these you Bastard. NOW!"  
  
Frank opened the envelope and saw that the pictures were of him and another woman kissing, another was of them dining out, the other was of them going into a hotel together. "Where did you get these?"  
  
"Explain to me why you're kissing another woman." She knew she could knock him out as mad as she was so she sat down in the chair and gripped the arm of it. She gripped it so tight that her knuckles turned white.  
  
"I'm working on a case, that's all I can say." Frank saw Elaina look him directly in the eye.  
  
"You better say more because you're lying to me. If you want to be alive to finish it, you better start talking," Elaina said, gritting her teeth.  
  
"It's classified. I can't tell you unless you're involved."  
  
"I think I just got involved in it. Now tell me the truth before I make good on my threat."  
  
"Elaina nothing happened between me and that woman I swear. You know I'd never cheat on you."  
  
"You mean you'd never cheat on me AGAIN. Unless you've forgotten the first time."  
  
"You said you'd never mention that again." Frank was angry now that she had brought that subject up.  
  
"I said I would if you were in big trouble and this classifies as big trouble, believe me."  
  
"I'm not screwing around. I've been faithful to you. Don't see these pictures as the whole story they're not."  
  
"That's why I am here, to get the whole story. So quit the damn stalling and tell me the truth. Who is she?" Elaina knew he wasn't lying now but she was still upset about the pictures and the fact he did kiss another woman.  
  
"Another agent." Frank realized she couldn't tell who it was.  
  
"Who is she?" She was determined to find out.  
  
"It's Maria, she's pretending to be you. We're working an old case that you and I started a few years ago.  
  
"What case and why didn't you ask me to help?"  
  
"The Stanhope spying case, and since you have forgotten, you're a desk jockey now."  
  
"I haven't forgotten, how could I, you love throwing that in my face as much as I threw my promotion in yours."  
  
"Well like they say; paybacks are a bitch." Frank was just as angry as she was, at her questioning him.  
  
"How were you contacted after all this time?" Elaina was curious.  
  
"Our old friend Leon told me we were wanted."  
  
Elaina was starting to get a headache. She calmed herself by getting off the subject of the pictures. "How's our friend Leon he was such a good snitch. He disappeared just before I went on sick leave a couple of years ago." Elaina actually liked him, he was a quirky individual, he was only five foot tall and his voice had a whiny southern drawl. Elaina always laughed when he'd stand next to Frank he looked like a little kid next to him.  
  
"He's fine now that he's out of jail. He had been arrested for burglary, now he's out on good behavior. He told me we were being asked about. When I asked him by whom he told me it was Stanhope's associate."  
  
"I would've thought he'd left the country too with his boss. I wish I knew who let him know we were after him."  
  
"He didn't know it was us. He just knew it was the government so he left to let things cool down some. Now I guess he's back and wanting to see if we're still interested in spying on our fellow agents," Frank explained.  
  
"So he thinks we're still in the C.I.A. and would be useful?" Elaina asked.  
  
"Yeah. Now that you've calmed down am I forgiven?" He walked around his desk to be next to her.  
  
"Forgiven for what? I don't have to forgive you for anything."  
  
Frank looked at her slightly puzzled that she forgot the argument. "For not telling you about the case."  
  
"Oh that. As long as it was Maria, I'll excuse you but as for forgiving you for not telling me about the case, no. I know nothing happened between the two of you. Maria knows I'd kill both of you if it did and I found out." Elaina flashed a wicked smile at him. "Especially, since she knows how I feel toward her lately."  
  
"I had to use her. That look a like thing you know," Frank said.  
  
"I know." Elaina smiled.  
  
"I'm worried about who could've sent these pictures to you."  
  
"Well it had to be someone that knew it wasn't me. You have in water up here?" Elaina took a pill bottle from her pocket.  
  
"What are those for, you hate taking pills?" Frank was wondering why she never mentioned the medication before.  
  
"My ther.." She corrected herself quickly." My doctor gave them to me for stress headaches." She didn't want him to know yet that she was seeing a psychiatrist.  
  
Frank walked over to the table in his office and poured her a glass of water. "Why haven't you told me about the headaches?"  
  
"Didn't know I was suppose to. Do you tell me every time you have one?" She took the pill.  
  
"Why should I. You're usually the one that gives them to me." Frank jumped as she threw the left over water at him. "That wasn't nice. Even though you missed." He smiled at her. "It worries me even more, that if this person knows its not you, then does Stanhope?"  
  
"I think you better call Maria, we need to have a meet to figure this out. Did Andy know you were working on this?" She started for the door.  
  
"Sort of, not really."  
  
"Good answer there, Donovan, it was real specific," Elaina, teased him. "I'll be downstairs waiting on you. She went down to talk to Cody and Monica. "Hi, sorry about the floor show earlier. One of those jump first, ask questions later type of thing."  
  
"So you and Dad still speaking to one another?"  
  
"Cody, if you don't quit referring to us as Mom and Dad, I'm going to call your mother and get permission to punch you out."  
  
"I'm sorry. I do it out of love," Cody pouted.  
  
"You're really missing Sab aren't you? You seem to be more annoying when she's away and not here for the two of you to be annoying together," Elaina said sitting down. "I meant that in a loving way," she added.  
  
"Cody, if you'd type faster, talked less, we'd get done faster," Monica scolded him.  
  
"Have anything for me right now, Monica?" Elaina asked feeling more relaxed, thanks to the pills kicking in.  
  
"There are three good suspects so far, but as you can see, we have plenty to go through yet. Frank took the three files to his office."  
  
"I guess he'll give them to me later. I hope it placates my boss enough for a few days. Why I ever said yes to helping the Homeland Security office is beyond me. Our resources are stretched so thin now, and the new recruits are being scrutinized so much, we get one out of four accepted. I'm rambling aren't I?"  
  
"A little but working around here does that to us all, eventually." Monica saw that Elaina was acting a bit different but didn't say anything to her.  
  
Frank came out of his office and down the stairs. "My cell isn't working, if I'm needed use my pager." Frank walked over to Monica and Elaina. "Elaina and I have a meeting to get to. Should be back in an hour or so."  
  
"I think we can survive that long without you." Monica ginned at him looking up from the file.  
  
"You're spending way too much time with Cody," Frank told her as he and Elaina walked out.  
  
Cody was listening to Alex and Jake talk when everything went dead. "Oh boy, that can't be good," Cody said typing orders into his computer. "I'm a dead man if something happens now."  
  
"What's your problem?" Monica asked coming over to him.  
  
"The system went down for some reason. I better call Jake and Alex and tell them they're on their own until it's back up."  
  
"They're going to love you. You better get it back up or Donovan will have your head."  
  
******  
  
Frank and Elaina drove to Maria's. Elaina kept watching the mirror looking for anyone following them. As they arrived, they both looked around to see if Maria's house was being watched but saw no one.  
  
"Hey cousins!" Maria greeted them at the door. "I heard you have some pictures telling on me and your husband."  
  
"Yeah, what did you think of my husband's kisses?" Elaina sat down on the couch with Maria and Frank sat in the chair next to them.  
  
"They'll do." Maria glanced over to Frank and smiled.  
  
"I think Frank is the best kisser I've had. I've kissed only three men passionately in my life; Frank, Collin and Jake."  
  
"You've kissed Jake? When and where? And why was it passionately? " Frank wondered if she was joking or not, and would he have to kill one of his own team members for it.  
  
"When we were in Mexico. We were following some of Santana's men and they almost caught us. Jake grabbed me and kissed me. I got carried away, he didn't."  
  
"It's not hard to get carried away by kissing Jake, I do have some experience in that department." Maria winked at Elaina.  
  
"Jake is the one that pulled away from me. I think he had visions of Frank finding out or who knows what might've happened." Elaina smiled at Frank who was becoming aggravated by their conversation.  
  
"Can we please get back on the subject of the pictures?" Frank gave them both icy stares.  
  
"We were talking about the pictures, well sort of." Elaina got up and kissed him unexpectedly making it a very long passionate one. "Yeah, I definitely like kissing you better. I was only kidding about Jake it wasn't a long passionate kiss like this." Elaina sat in his lap and kissed him again.  
  
"Normally, I wouldn't say this but get back over there and act like an Agent." Frank pushed her away. "We need to figure out what to do about the photographer of those pictures."  
  
"I have a simple solution, have Elaina take over. I'll follow you two to catch the person taking the pictures." Maria saw a smile come on Elaina's face. "You two weren't followed here were you?"  
  
"I know how to spot a tail, we weren't followed." Frank was a bit ticked she would ask the question.  
  
"Well you missed us being watched," Maria countered.  
  
"We weren't followed, we were both watching. I like your idea that I take over but you're forgetting that I'm not allowed to do field work," Elaina stated.  
  
"I'm willing to make an exception just this one time." Frank knew she'd be more than willing to do it.  
  
"Really? You'd let me do this?" Elaina was actually surprised and thrilled.  
  
"Call it more of a deal than an exception."  
  
"What kind of a deal?" Elaina was a bit apprehensive with him calling it a deal.  
  
"You only do this one case with me. Don't start going behind my back to do others," Frank replied.  
  
"That's find with me but you said deal, so far it's one sided. What's in it for me?" Elaina blinked fast as her vision blurred slightly as she was looking at Frank.  
  
He leaned over to her and whispered in her ear. "When we have to be at the hotel, we don't have to pretend to be lovers."  
  
Maria heard what he said giggled. Elaina stared at Maria and then Frank. "That sounds better, but how did the two of you pretend to be lovers? I'm just curious."  
  
"Maria is very good at sound effects, shall we say." Frank and Maria both started laughing.  
  
"Don't worry, cousin. Let's just say that it was the best sex he or I ever had fully dressed," Maria said giggling.  
  
"I get the picture you pulled that before as a teenager. I thought Mom was going to knock your bedroom door down, before you let her know it was a joke," Elaina remembered.  
  
"That was the first time I remember Aunt Liz getting angry at me."  
  
"You deserved what you got." Elaina shook her figure at her.  
  
"Don't leave me out. What did Mom Liz do to her?" Frank was curious. He loved her as much as his own mother.  
  
"Mom turned Maria over her knees and spanked her." Elaina and Frank laughed together.  
  
"Laugh all you want, my butt was sore for two days after that." Maria winced at thinking of the incident.  
  
"So fill me in some more on the Stanhope case. Have the two of you met with him yet?" Elaina massaged her temples.  
  
"Your headache still there or coming back?" He noticed her massage.  
  
"No, I'm just a little dizzy. Go ahead and tell me about the case." She continued to massage her temples and above her eyes.  
  
"We've only met with his associate so far. We don't meet Stanhope until Friday." Frank kept watching her.  
  
"He's supposed to be back in town then," Maria added noting that Frank was concerned for Elaina.  
  
"Think he'll notice a difference in me?" She pulled her hair back and retrieved a band from her pocket to put her hair up.  
  
"I doubt it. Frank did most of the talking, so they won't notice the voice difference. Anything else can be explained as lighting or something like that," Maria suggested. "Are you okay Lainie?"  
  
Elaina shook her head yes. "This could be fun we haven't work together closely for a long time. I'm going to enjoy every second I can." She once again sat on Frank's lap and kissed him only this time he kept the kiss going.  
  
"Would you two like to borrow my guest room?" Maria asked feeling like an intruder.  
  
"Can we?" Elaina threw her head back and looked at her cousin.  
  
"Get off me, we'll leave now." Frank moved her off his lap. "We'll meet tomorrow at the HQ and work out the details."  
  
"Will Jake be there tomorrow?" Maria asked shyly.  
  
"He might, why?" Frank answered being curious.  
  
"We haven't seen each other since he found out about me and Cody."  
  
"You should've known better than to pull what you did. I don't blame Jake for not coming around. I know you and Jake weren't seeing each other steady but that's no reason to try to take Cody away from Sab." Elaina became very angry thinking about what happened.  
  
"You're pretty damn protective of her," Maria snapped at Elaina.  
  
"She's been through a lot."  
  
"So have I but you don't seem to care, you're always taking her side when we fight."  
  
"You're troubles were self-made, Sabrina's weren't," Elaina snapped back.  
  
Frank walked over to the door and opened it. "Lets go, Lady." He was trying to break them up before they started for each other's throats.  
  
"You should get your priorities straight, Lainie. You should defend family, first."  
  
"I defend who I want, and who I know is right in the situation."  
  
"Out Elaina, now." Frank pushed her out the door. 


	2. In Need Of Help

CHAPTER 2  
  
Frank and Elaina drove toward HQ, but she noticed that he turned in the opposite direction. "Where are you going? You told Monica that you'd be back in an hour."  
  
"I'm kidnapping you." He had an evil smile on his face.  
  
"I don't know what you have in mind but it can't be good."  
  
"Just sit back and relax, enjoy the ride." He reached over to touch her face. "Feeling better?"  
  
"Yes. I'm feeling better. Both hands on the wheel, Mr. Donovan." Elaina pushed his hand away. She leaned back and got comfortable for the drive. He put in a CD and she was amazed to hear herself singing. "Where did that come from?"  
  
"The tape you made a few years ago. I had Cody make a CD for me."  
  
"I thought we'd lost that in the move when I couldn't find it. You've had it all this time?" Elaina asked.  
  
"Yep. I have you with me to and from work."  
  
She hummed along with the songs and soon fell asleep. Frank pulled into the parking lot of a hotel. "We're here."  
  
"Where the hell is here?" Elaina was a little confused from being asleep.  
  
"Our little hideaway," Frank told her, as he opened her door. She recognized the hotel from the pictures. "We were being followed. I wanted to go home but figured this was a better idea."  
  
"Can you tell who was following us?" Elaina hugged him to look over his shoulder. "I don't see anyone now."  
  
"They're driving a light blue Taurus, at the far side of the lot." Frank held her close as she looked again.  
  
"Okay. I see it now. Let's go in."  
  
Frank walked her to the suite that was reserved for the case they were working on. "I knew this place would come in handy sooner or later."  
  
He opened the door for Elaina to go in first. "Housekeeping has been here." Elaina saw that the room had been ransacked and took out her gun, so did Frank. They looked around the suite to make sure no one was still there.  
  
Frank looked down at the lamp on the floor and motioned for Elaina not to say anything. He signed that he found a mic that wasn't theirs.  
  
"I think we need a new room, I'm growing tired of this one," Elaina said, going to the door.  
  
"Let's go see if they can find us one you do like."  
  
They went to the front desk and told them about the room being broken into. They were given another one. Frank suggested that the other room not be touched, until the police could investigate.  
  
"So much for a romantic interlude. We really do have to get back to work," Frank told her looking at his watch.  
  
"No we don't. What we need is some time to ourselves." Elaina opened the door and pulled him in. "We need to let loose a little."  
  
"Lady, we make love just about every night. What more do you want?" Elaina didn't answer she was too busy kissing his neck. "Elaina, slow down at least."  
  
Elaina undressed and got into bed, waiting for him to do the same. When he did she smothered him with kisses. She was acting like she never had before. She had never been much of an aggressor, he was normally the one in control leading her in making love but this time she was doing the leading.  
  
When he finally made eye contact with her she saw he was puzzled by her behavior, she slowed her pace and let him take control. She became totally lost in his kisses and his touching her body. She was truly enjoying this session of lovemaking with him. When she felt him move into her she came out of her daze and became a more active partner again.  
  
Her breathing was becoming so labored that it hurt to breath. She felt like panicking but tried to control herself to not worry him. She gasped loudly. Frank looked at her. Her eyes were open but they seemed to not be looking at him. He pulled away and tried to get her to say something to him. "Elaina?" She didn't respond to his voice. He saw that she was breathing slower and he smacked her on the face to get her to respond this time it worked. "What just happened to you? Are you okay?" Frank asked her.  
  
"I guess I blacked out or something. That was a first time you ever had that affect on me."  
  
"I don't think it was our making love that did it. I think it was the fact you weren't feeling well at Maria's."  
  
"My headaches are because I don't wear my glasses as I should, when I'm reading. I've been doing a lot of that lately." She rolled over on her side away from him to hide that she was just as worried as to what happened."  
  
Frank put his arms around her. "Are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Don't worry. I'm fine just hold me for a while."  
  
"I will but I want you to go see the doctor about what happened," Frank told her as he kissed her on the shoulder.  
  
"I will."  
  
******  
  
"They're late." Cody stood up to stretch his legs from setting so long. "I guess this could be one of those one hour meetings, that takes two hours." Cody was joking but Monica didn't laugh.  
  
"Cody, they probably lost track of time talking. Why don't you go for some food? I'm starving?"  
  
"That won't be necessary, we brought it," Elaina said as she and Frank carried in bags.  
  
"What did you bring?" Cody looked into the bags and took out what he wanted.  
  
"Chinese," Elaina said, as Monica came over to eat. "Don't worry there's plenty, I won't be eating it."  
  
"How's come." Cody had a mouthful.  
  
"Can't stand it. I hate ginger not to mention, I'm allergic to it. I better get going. I'll see you at home later." She kissed Frank and started to leave but he stopped her.  
  
"Don't forget your promise," he reminded her.  
  
"I remember I'll go." She started out the door but was met by Alex and Jake.  
  
"Hi. You might want to stick around to hear this," Alex said to Elaina. She walked back in and sat next to Frank.  
  
"Something go wrong?" Frank asked seeing their faces.  
  
"Oops, I forgot to mention something," Cody confessed. "The system went down earlier. Jake and Alex where in the dark for a while."  
  
"What happened?" Elaina asked Cody.  
  
"Not sure. I tried to get it back up but it wouldn't respond and then all of a sudden it came back up on it's own. It was just a mystery glitch," Elaina replied.  
  
"Is that a technical term for, you don't know what the hell happened?" Elaina smiled at him. He shook his head yes.  
  
"That was nothing compared to what we found," Jake said as he picked up some noodles.  
  
"What did you find?" Monica saw that they were bothered.  
  
"Burrell and Torrelli. We found them dead in Burrell's office," Alex told them.  
  
"How did that happen?" Elaina asked.  
  
"Don't know. They were to call us, at the office we had set up but they never did. I tried his number and no one answered. We got curious and went over to see if they had found another buyer. That's when we found them. Both shot in the middle of the forehead."  
  
"Cody, why didn't you page me about the shut down?" Frank asked.  
  
"I did but you never answered," Cody answered.  
  
Frank took the pager out of his jacket. "There's nothing on here. It worked before I left, I checked it myself."  
  
Elaina took it from him. "They work better when they're turned on." She handed it back to him.  
  
"It was on when I left and it was on when I checked it just now. You must've hit the button when I handed it to you."  
  
"Maybe it got hit in the hotel room when I threw your clothes on the floor," she whispered to him.  
  
"I guess, that's just another mystery glitch," Cody said.  
  
"Make out your report and close the case. Leave it up to Chicago PD to investigate," Elaina told them.  
  
"We have other work to do. You two can help with these files, when you're done," Monica suggested.  
  
"Weren't you leaving to go someplace?" Frank asked her.  
  
"I'm going. I'm also going to see, if I can't get Sab back to work to help," Elaina said as she got up from her chair. "You know where she is?" Cody was hopeful.  
  
"I know how to reach her, yes. Am I going to tell you? NO," Elaina said going to the door.  
  
"Tell her I miss her at least," he said as she got to the door.  
  
"You're pathetic, you know that?" Jake said.  
  
"Shut up Jake. Eat, then get to work." Frank grabbed a handful of files and took them to his office.  
  
******  
  
Elaina didn't go back to her office, she decided to go home and rest. Her headache was trying to come back and she didn't see the use in going back to work. As she entered the driveway she noticed a car parked a little ways down the road. She tried to read the license plate but couldn't make it out.  
  
She went on to the house. She went in to find toys everywhere but no little girl to claim the mess. "Megan!"  
  
"In the kitchen be right out." Megan came out with Sarah right behind her.  
  
When Elaina sat down Sarah climbed in her lap. "Hi Momma," Sarah said and signed. They've been teaching Sarah to sign so when her grandfather came they'd be able to communicate. Elaina's father had been hurt in a riding accident and had lost his hearing as a young man.  
  
"Hi Baby. What've you been doing?" Elaina signed as she said it.  
  
"Eating munch," Sarah replied, this time not knowing the signs she wanted to use.  
  
"I think you mean eating lunch, little one." Elaina signed for her. Sarah tried to repeat the signing but couldn't so Elaina, showed her again. This time she did it.  
  
"Where's our house guest?" Elaina asked Megan.  
  
"In the game room I think."  
  
"I guess we'll go look," Elaina replied putting Sarah off her lap.  
  
"I wanna play," Sarah said and took off in the direction of the game room.  
  
Elaina followed and heard music, as she got closer to the room. As she looked in the door she saw them dancing. "I see Sarah has a new dance partner. Honey, I need to talk to Sab."  
  
"We're in the middle of the song," Sab said not wanting to talk but saw by the look on Elaina's face she had to. "Sorry Sarah, your Momma wants to talk to me," Sab signed and spoke at the same time.  
  
"You're getting good at signing. Derek must be a good teacher."  
  
"Yeah, he's been teaching Cody and me, for computer lessons. He doesn't need lessons but Frank thought it was a good idea, if we taught him a few things and for us to find out exactly what he knows about hacking," Sab explained.  
  
They sat down at the card table to talk. Sarah walked over with her dolls and gave one to Sab. Then gave her mommy one, as she climbed in her lap again.  
  
"Have I over stayed my welcome?" Sab asked.  
  
"No. I just thought it was time for you to tell me why you're here."  
  
"Because I needed a place to think and Bea is out of town on a case." Sab played with the doll not wanting to make eye contact with Elaina. "If I stayed at home, Cody would be popping in and I'd never get anything sorted out."  
  
"Mind not talking in riddles and spit it out. I've been patient but I think I'm going to force the issue just a little. Why do you need to be here away from Cody? The two of you just got back together." Elaina asked. "You're not fighting about Maria again are you?"  
  
"No, we're getting through that."  
  
"So what's bothering you, that you can't talk to Cody about it?"  
  
"I think, I'm pregnant," Sab blurted out, taking Elaina completely by surprise.  
  
"Excuse me?" Elaina didn't know what to say.  
  
"You think you're shocked. Think of how I feel." Sab said.  
  
"Have you done a home test?"  
  
"I've been to nervous, scared and mixed up to do it," Sab said to her.  
  
"How late are you?"  
  
"A month."  
  
"Sabrina! Why didn't you go to your doctor before now?" Elaina said shocked.  
  
"I've been kind of preoccupied, unless you've forgotten."  
  
"No, I haven't forgotten. With the stress you've been under it could be that. You really need to be checked out." Elaina replied. "Do you want to go to my doctor to be checked out? I promised Frank I'd go see him today."  
  
"What happened to you?" Sab wondered.  
  
"I don't want to talk about it."  
  
"Hey! I just told you my problem, you fess up now."  
  
"Okay. I almost passed out today when I was with Frank."  
  
"Really? Are you okay now? You shouldn't have driven yourself home. What if it happened again?" Sab wondered.  
  
"Calm down I was.we were.lets just say, I don't think driving home would've cause it to happen again."  
  
"Oh." Sab thought for a minute. "You mean you and Frank were.you know when it happened?"  
  
"Yes we were. Are you happy? I'm totally embarrassed." Elaina hid her face behind Sarah.  
  
"I'm sorry, but it's only fair that you tell me, I told you my secret."  
  
"Okay, do you want to go with me or not?" Elaina asked getting back to her problem. She sat Sarah down off her lap.  
  
"Yeah, I'll go," Sab answered.  
  
Elaina went to the phone to call. Sab came over and held the phone down. "Wait, I've one more question. Will you help me tell Cody, if I am?"  
  
"If you want me to. What about Allison why didn't you talk to her about this? She's your therapist and your friend?" Elaina asked her.  
  
"She is. Which means she knows about Maria and Cody. She'd probably think I got pregnant on purpose to keep him," Sabrina stated.  
  
"I don't think she would Sab. She knows you better than I do, I don't think that."  
  
"You don't?" Sab was surprised.  
  
"No, if anyone was going to keep a man like that, it would be Maria. Can I make the phone call now, before it gets any later?"  
  
"Oh, sorry." Sab removed her hand from the phone. Elaina called the doctor as Sab went over to play dolls with Sarah. It suddenly dawned on Elaina that Sab had spent most of her time there with Sarah.  
  
Sab sat playing and only raised her head up when Elaina mentioned her name to the receptionist. She was listening to Sarah's rambling conversation. Sab would always use sign when to talk to Sarah, if she knew it.  
  
"We're going to be fit in this afternoon." Elaina knelt down on the floor with them.  
  
"That soon?" Her voice showed her anxiety.  
  
"You've put it off long enough, don't you think?"  
  
"I know, it just surprised me to get an appointment that quick."  
  
"My doctor likes me, especially if I bring a new patient." Elaina saw a faint smile come on Sab's face. "Thanks for signing in front of her, she needs the practice."  
  
"So do I," Sabrina told her turning back to Sarah.  
  
"I have another reason for getting you to talk to me. They need you back to work, seems the bad guys have been working over time."  
  
"Nice to know I'm needed and missed." Sab giggled.  
  
"Oh, you're definitely missed, by Cody. He said to tell you he misses you," Elaina added.  
  
"You told him I was here?" Sab panicked.  
  
"No I didn't! I told him I knew how to contact you and he wanted me to give you the message."  
  
"Good, because I really didn't want him finding me yet. What time exactly do we leave?"  
  
"Two hours, so try to relax a little." Elaina remembered the car and decided to go see if it was still there. "Excuse me, I have something to do up stairs."  
  
Elaina went to the guest room and looked out the window. The car was still there but she couldn't tell if anyone was in it. She picked up the phone and dialed it.  
  
"Donovan."  
  
"Mrs. Donovan has a problem," Elaina said looking out the window.  
  
"What's wrong? Are you okay?" He thought she might have blacked out again. "I'm fine. It's just that when I came home there was a car parked down from the drive and it's still there."  
  
"It wasn't there when I left and you left before me. Did Sab or Meg notice it?" Frank inquired.  
  
"If they did they didn't say anything to me," Elaina replied.  
  
"Are you going to stick around there?"  
  
"I have a doctor's appointment in a couple of hours." Elaina answered. "Sab is going with me."  
  
"Good idea. I was worried after you left," Frank said relieved.  
  
"I feel fine, honest."  
  
"I'll send Jake and Alex over there, it could be someone broke down and hasn't had it towed yet. Keep an eye on it."  
  
"Hell, I thought I'd go out and invite whoever it was in for coffee. Do you ever think before you say things like that to me?" Elaina snapped at him.  
  
"Getting bitchy again, aren't we?" Frank countered.  
  
"Sorry, maybe I'm just a little tired. I'll keep track of it. Bye." Elaina stood in the window after she hung up the phone.  
  
Sab walked into the room, but Elaina didn't notice. "Why are you standing in here?"  
  
Elaina jumped slightly. "Sorry, lost in thought. There's been a car parked out there since before I came home did you notice it this morning?" Elaina pointed to it.  
  
Sab walked over to the window to look. "No. But then again, I haven't really paid much attention to my surroundings."  
  
"You should know better. That's one of the first things they teach us, is to be alert to your surroundings."  
  
"Yeah, I know. I guess I just felt safe enough here, not to worry about it," Sab said.  
  
"You're forgiven. If you're going to be in here could you check occasionally and see if it moves?" Elaina asked of her.  
  
"Sure. I was just coming up here to think." Sab went over to sit on the bed.  
  
"Frank is sending Jake and Alex over to watch the house when we leave."  
  
"They can't know I'm here, they'll tell Cody." Sabrina started to panic again.  
  
"I'll take care of them. You just chill out for a while. I'll be across the hall," Elaina said leaving the room.  
  
******  
  
Alex and Jake arrived just as they were getting ready to leave. Elaina answered the door. "Hi. Were you going to check the car out before we leave?"  
  
"Boss said to watch it, then when you came back, we'd all check it out," Jake told her.  
  
"Why wait, we have time to do it now?" Elaina asked. "He wants to know, if they follow you or not." Jake explained. "If it does Alex is to follow it."  
  
"That really doesn't make since to me but I guess there's a method to his madness." Elaina replied. "I need the two of you to keep a secret for me. You need to swear that you won't tell Cody that Sabrina is here."  
  
"So this is her hide out. We promise not to tell him," Alex said.  
  
"Did they have another fight?" Jake asked.  
  
"That's none of your concern," Sab said as she came down stairs.  
  
"We'll be back in a couple of hours at the most. Alex, I don't want you to follow us unless that car moves you got that?" Elaina ordered.  
  
"I understand completely." Alex was a bit puzzled but didn't say anything.  
  
*****  
  
Elaina and Sab left but the car never followed. Elaina noticed that Sab had kept watch, too. When they arrived at the doctor's office Sab sighed heavily before getting out.  
  
"It will be okay. Don't worry so much." Elaina smiled but Sab couldn't even force one to her face.  
  
"I'm so scared." Sab was starting to shake more the closer they got to the door. "I changed my mind I can't do this," Sab said turning in the opposite direction.  
  
Elaina caught her around the waist to stop her. "Get back here." They walked in and the receptionist went to tell the doctor that they were there.  
  
"Mrs. Donovan, Miss Kells, this way please." They followed the nurse to the exam room. "Here are the gowns for the two of you. You know the routine Mrs. D."  
  
"Yeah, I been here enough I can run this place for you," Elaina joked. Elaina told Sab the routine and when they finished the nurse came back in to take their vital signs and asked a bunch of questions; then she left to get the doctor. The doctor knocked on the door. "We're decent Doc, Elaina told him.  
  
"Well I see you brought a friend with you this time, two beautiful ladies in my exam room. What more could a doctor ask for," the doctor said smiling.  
  
"Cut the bull Daniel, remember I carry a gun and Sab has a good right cross."  
  
"Elaina, you take all the fun out of my day." He smiled at her. "Don't worry Miss Kells, we banter like this all the time. Elaina is the only patient, that doesn't find it odd that I have a warped sense of humor at times."  
  
"Sense of humor is great I have a pretty good one," Sab stated.  
  
"Yeah, she needs it working with her boyfriend and my husband." Elaina winked at Sab.  
  
"Okay now, we have a pregnancy test for Miss Kells and Elaina you blacked out. When did this happen?" the doctor asked Elaina.  
  
Sab started giggling, Elaina shook her head and laughed too. "Um, why do you need to know that? Isn't it enough to know it happened?"  
  
"I need to know what you where doing when it happened. Were you walking, sitting, or exercising any of these?" the doctor asked.  
  
"You're close with the exercising one," Elaina said coyly.  
  
"I get the picture. Frank and you, are getting along then, no stress there. I've heard of this happening before but I want to check you out anyway." He started laughing with them.  
  
"We'll examine Miss Kells first and then Mrs. D.," he told the nurse. "Okay assume the position."  
  
"Daniel that was rude," Elaina scolded him.  
  
"I know what he means, but you're right he does have a warped sense of humor," Sab said.  
  
The doctor examined them both and then told Elaina they could wait in his office for the test results. Sab paced the office while they waited for the doctor to return. "Daniel has a nice office but he isn't going to like a hole in his carpet." She took Sab's arm to stop her from pacing. "Sit."  
  
"What's taking so long?" She sighed as she finally sat down. "Do you know your doctor well enough to call him by his first name?"  
  
"Honey, he knows me well enough, don't you think? If he's going to be that personal with me, I can at least call him by his first name." Elaina smiled and she saw Sab relax a little.  
  
"How long does it take to run one test?" Sab wondered still nervous.  
  
"He has other patients, just relax and calm down. You survived the streets and gun shot wounds, you'll survive this too."  
  
The doctor came in minutes later with both files. "Elaina, I don't see anything abnormal in my exam with you, your blood pressure was a little higher than normal but nothing to worry about. Just take it easy as much as you can."  
  
"Can I get that in writing for Frank? He won't believe me," Elaina joked.  
  
"I'll be your witness, Elaina," Sab told her. What about my test?"  
  
"I have news to tell you, but I don't know if it is good or bad. It's all how you look at it. First of all your blood pressure is very high. I recommend that you don't go back to work until you get it down."  
  
Sab looked over at Elaina with panic on her face. "Just how high is it?"  
  
"180 over 95. Your file says you were given pain meds after your shooting, you're not still taking them are you?"  
  
"No, I quit about two maybe three weeks ago," Sab informed him.  
  
"That's good. You have a very stressful job and that's a major contributor to your problem." He saw that she was getting more stressed not knowing about the test. "You're NOT pregnant. Just stressed out," he finally told her.  
  
Elaina noticed Sab didn't react to the news. "Earth to Sab, that would be good news, you're not pregnant. Unless you actually wanted to be?"  
  
"No. So there's nothing wrong with me that caused my being late other than stress?" Sab asked snapping out of her daze.  
  
"You've been through a lot the past couple of months, believe me stress causes a lot of things," Elaina spoke from experience.  
  
"She's right Miss Kells. You relax for a couple of days and have your blood pressure checked then you should be okay. If it's down you can go back to work then."  
  
"I can check her blood pressure for her. She's been staying at my house, a couple of more days won't hurt," Elaina told him looking at Sab.  
  
"Well sounds like you'll have control of everything so leave me to my other patients. If you have any more trouble, Elaina, I want to know right away. We'll do more tests."  
  
"Oh that sounds like fun. Good bye Daniel," Elaina said as she got up to leave.  
  
"I'm so glad I found out. Can we go by HQ, so I can talk to Cody?" Sab asked her.  
  
"I don't see why not, if that's what you want to do."  
  
*****  
  
Elaina drove to HQ so they both could report in about their doctor's appointment. They walked in together but once inside they went their separate ways. Elaina went up to Frank's office and Sab went to see Cody.  
  
"Sab you're back," Cody hugged her.  
  
"Cody, I may not be working but you are, hands off," Sab told him.  
  
"Where have you been? I've tried calling your cell but your phone was shut off."  
  
"I'll explain but not here. In private somewhere," Sab told him.  
  
"Sab, Cody, my office now!" Frank called down to them.  
  
"See he saw us, now we're in trouble." Sab smacked him on the arm.  
  
"You didn't have to make it sound like they were in trouble," Elaina told him.  
  
"I like doing that it keeps them on their toes." He smiled at her.  
  
Cody and Sab came into the office and waited for the chewing out. "Don't just stand there, sit down," Frank ordered.  
  
"Don't mind him just have your talk in here, we'll leave," Elaina told Sab.  
  
"You didn't tell him did you?" Sab whispered.  
  
"No, not without your permission. I told him you needed some privacy to tell Cody something."  
  
"You better tell him. He might get angry with me staying so long and not know why."  
  
"I'll think about it." Elaina winked.  
  
Elaina and Frank left the office to let them talk. Sab pulled her chair over in front of Cody's so she could face him. "Cody, I want to explain to you where and why I've been hiding out."  
  
"I'm all ears. But you also have me worried." Cody was trying to figure out what was going on.  
  
"Please don't interrupt me, what I've got to say is difficult for me."  
  
"Go ahead. I won't say another word," Cody assured her.  
  
"I've been staying at the Donovan's. Bea's out of town on assignment or I would've stayed there. I wanted to be with someone I could talk to, if I needed to. So I asked Elaina, she said I could stay with them." Sab stopped to catch her breath because she was talking so fast.  
  
She continued her explanation. "I was worried about something. But now I found out that I really have no reason to worry, so I guess I can just say it." She took a deep breath. "I thought I was pregnant."  
  
Cody started to say something but she kissed him before he could. She wasn't ready to answer his questions until she had a kiss from him. "I'm not pregnant, I'm just stressed out and the pain meds I was taking caused me to be late. I also have high blood pressure but all I have to do is relax a few days and I can come back to work."  
  
"Are you finished now?" Cody asked and Sab shook her head yes. "What if you were pregnant?"  
  
"I would've told you, if that's what you're asking." Sab was a bit puzzled by his question.  
  
"I want to know, if you would've been ready for that responsibility?" Cody asked.  
  
"You don't think I am?"  
  
"I don't know that's what I'm asking you." Cody leaned back in his chair waiting for her to answer.  
  
"I'm not sure. I like to think I would've been." Sab looked into Cody's eyes. "What about you do you want kids?"  
  
"Yeah, I love kids. I want to have lots of them." Cody replied. "I just think we need to wait. Work out our problems before we decide to have any. Not to mention the fact we aren't married."  
  
"I know we have a lot to talk about and work out. I was so scared that you'd be angry with me if I had been. I couldn't think straight." She sat on his lap and put her arms around his neck. "I hope your not angry with me about not talking to you but.."  
  
Cody put his hand to her mouth. "I'm not angry with you. I'm glad you went to someone you could talk to about it. I wish it could've been me but I'm not going to be angry with that. You know what's best for you. I want us to be absolutely sure we can handle, being a mother and father before we have a family."  
  
"I think, I'll be a good mother and you'll be a terrific father." Sab said smiling "I've loved being around Sarah the past few days. She's so cute and energetic. She can wear a person out. I don't see how Elaina keeps up with her."  
  
"I think that's why she has Megan there."  
  
"I want to raise our children, not that Frank and Elaina haven't but they've missed out on a lot and I don't want to do that. I want to know what's happening every second."  
  
"You mean you're going to give up your career to take care of our kids?"  
  
"Um, I never thought that part through yet," Sab said, thinking.  
  
"We have plenty of time to think," Cody said as he kissed her on the lips.  
  
********* Frank took Elaina to a small room off the kitchen area. "What are we doing here?" Elaina asked.  
  
"You made me give up my office so I brought you in here for privacy." He kissed her.  
  
She pushed him back away from her. "Don't start anything we can't finish. Besides I'm getting another headache. I'd like for you just to hold me a while."  
  
"What did Daniel say about the headaches and you blacking out or whatever you did?" Frank asked as he put his arms around her.  
  
"He said he didn't see anything wrong in the exam, just high blood pressure. He said it wasn't much higher than my normal but a little. Sabrina on the other hand is very high."  
  
"Wait a minute Sab went to see your doctor. Why?"  
  
"She thought she might be pregnant."  
  
"And is she?" Frank wondered.  
  
"No, just stressed out over everything that has happened to her recently," Elaina answered leaning on his chest.  
  
"Is she going to be put on sick leave? If her blood pressure is very high she can't work."  
  
"She isn't coming back to work for a couple of days. Daniel wants her to relax and lower her pressure. I didn't tell her it was grounds for sick leave." Elaina replied.  
  
"It would've stressed her more," Frank said. Elaina shook her head in agreement. "Is she going home?"  
  
"No, she'll stay with us. I'll keep check on her pressure; you're going to keep Cody away from the house. I don't want him there all the time. If she wants him, she'll call him."  
  
"Are these your feelings or hers?" Frank was wondering if she was making decisions for Sab.  
  
"Hers, we talked on the way over here.' Elaina said. "Let's go back if they're done talking I want to go home."  
  
"I'll drive you home and Sab can drive your car back."  
  
"Sounds good to me. Frank?" She turned to face him. "Why didn't you want Alex and Jake to check the car before I left?"  
  
"I'm still betting that it's just broke down and they haven't moved it yet. Our paranoia could be getting the best of us," he answered.  
  
"In our line of work that could be the truth." They walked back and noticed that Sab and Cody were sitting together at the Operations Board. "Sab, are you ready to go back?"  
  
"What you're not going home?" Cody asked her.  
  
"No, I'm going to stay at their house a few more days," Sab replied getting up from her chair.  
  
"Cody, she has to, doctors orders. She needs peace and quite," Elaina informed him.  
  
"Like she can get that at our house," Frank joked but Elaina didn't think it was funny.  
  
"I'm feeling less stressed just having talked to you but I think it's best if I stay with Elaina and Frank right now."  
  
"If she wants to see you she'll call, no surprise visits," Elaina ordered.  
  
"Yes ma'am," Cody pouted and Sab kissed him.  
  
"Sab, here you drive my car, I'm going with Frank." Elaina handed Sab her keys.  
  
"Cool, I promise not to scratch or dent it."  
  
"That's more than she promises," Frank joked.  
  
"Lay off my driving or I'll go back with her," Elaina warned him.  
  
"Not another word, Lady, lets go. Cody, Monica go home that's an order," Frank told them.  
  
"What about the files?" Monica asked.  
  
"Well you can either take them with you or wait until tomorrow," Elaina told her.  
  
"Bye, bye files. Monica has a date tonight." Monica grabbed her coat and bag and left.  
  
"I guess I can take a few home with me and check them out." Cody was acting as if he was being neglected.  
  
Elaina whispered something to Sab. "Okay I can do that. Cody, would you like to go riding for a little while?"  
  
"Sure, I would." He looked at Frank. "If that's okay with you.  
  
"I like to think I have a say in the matter but hey that's only a fantasy I have. I don't mind." His comment made Elaina smack him in the head. "How about a little respect, please?" Frank said, rubbing his head.  
  
"I want to go home now, Mr. Donovan. If you're going to take me, let's go." Elaina started for the door when a wave of dizziness hit her. "Whoa! Somebody stop the world spinning so fast."  
  
Frank caught her from falling. "I think you should go back to see Daniel."  
  
"No way! I'm going home, so get me to the car and take me there," she snapped at him. 


	3. Little Pills Big Trouble

Thanks for the reviews girls. This chapter will answer a few of your questions. (  
CHAPTER 3  
  
Against his better judgment he and Cody got her in the car and they all headed to the Donovan house. Elaina fell asleep on the way as they arrived Frank saw that the car was still there in the same location as Sab and Elaina had seen it. Frank laid his hand on her shoulder to wake her, normally that would've been enough but this time he had to shake her lightly.  
  
"Home already?" Elaina said, as she realized where they were.  
  
"I'll get Jake and Alex, then we'll check out the car," Frank said as he parked the car.  
  
"I'll just stay here, you can tell me what you find. This headache is dragging me down." Elaina got out of the car and noticed someone taking her arm as she did. "Sab, I can walk on my own. I'm not dizzy anymore."  
  
"I'm not taking any chances. Don't argue with me either I can be stubborn, too."  
  
"You can say that again," Cody said coming up on the other side of Elaina.  
  
Frank went in to get Alex and Jake. When Elaina and the others came in, Alex noticed how pale Elaina looked. "You look like hell. Are you okay?"  
  
"Nothing that a little nap can't take care of." Elaina broke away from Sab and Cody and went over to the couch to lie down.  
  
Sarah came in the room with Megan and saw her mommy lying down. She went over and crawled on top of her to lie down too. "Hi, Momma."  
  
"Hi sweetie. Momma isn't feeling good." Sarah kept switching positions trying to get comfortable. "Can someone, please take her?" Elaina said it harshly and Frank came over to get Sarah.  
  
"How's Daddy's princess today?"  
  
"Okie." Sarah looked down at her mommy. "I want momma."  
  
"Mommy's head hurts, you want to lay down Meg will take you upstairs." Frank turned to Megan. "I think that would be the wise thing to do, otherwise, she'll keep going to Elaina."  
  
"Come on Sarah, let's go play in your room for a while and let Momma rest." Sarah protested up the stairs but soon quieted down.  
  
"Jake, Alex, let's go check out that car. It's been there long enough, if it were broke down they would've towed it by now. Cody, Sab keep an eye on her," Frank said, becoming more worried about her as time passed.  
  
"Don't worry we will," Sab told him as they walked out the door.  
  
Elaina fell asleep on the couch not long afterward she started talking in her sleep. At first Sab couldn't make out what she was saying, but Elaina got clearer and louder.  
  
"Maybe we should wake her." Cody was worried.  
  
"No. She's just dreaming, she'll be okay. I hope."  
  
"You can't do this to me." Elaina's arm started to twitch as if she was struggling. "I can't do it. I won't. I'll fight you. You'll never get me to." Elaina stopped abruptly. Sab quickly wrote down what she said so she could ask her when she woke up about it.  
  
******  
  
They approached the car cautiously. They didn't see a driver in the car until they looked in the window. The driver was lying across the front seat in a pool of blood. Alex opened the passenger side and looked in.  
  
"He's been shot just like Burrell and Torrelli right in the center."  
  
Frank looked at the man's face closer. "Damn," Frank said, recognizing the person.  
  
"Someone you know?" Jake asked.  
  
"Yeah. Simon Stanhope. Elaina and I were to have a meeting with him Friday. It has to do with one of our old cases."  
  
"I'd say that the meeting has been cancelled," Jake said, as he called the sheriff and the coroner.  
  
"You two stick around for the coroner, I'll go tell Elaina." Frank went back to the house to find her asleep. "How long did it take her to get to sleep?"  
  
"She got up long enough to take something for her headache and fell asleep the minute she laid back down,." Cody told him.  
  
"She did talk in her sleep a bit too," Sab added.  
  
"What did she say?"  
  
"Here I wrote it down, so I could ask her later." Sab handed him the paper. "She acted like she was struggling with someone."  
  
"I'm beginning to worry about her. What did she take for her headache?"  
  
"They're in her pocket." Cody pointed. Frank walked over and took the bottle out of her pocket.  
  
"She took these earlier, then started acting different," Frank told them.  
  
"NO! I don't want to do it. Please, I can't do it," Elaina started talking in her sleep again. "Leave me alone. Don't hurt me."  
  
Frank sat down on the couch next to her. "Lady, wake up." He gently shook her. She didn't awaken. "Elaina!" he said it louder and smacked her face.  
  
"Get away from me." She woke up still fighting, almost knocking him off the couch.  
  
"Elaina, it's me, Frank." He noticed she was confused for a moment. "What were you dreaming about?"  
  
"I wasn't dreaming anything," she snapped.  
  
"You were talking in your sleep, you must've been dreaming about something," Sab said to her.  
  
"Why don't you find something to do around here, other than bother me." She was being rude and Frank wasn't going to stand for it.  
  
"You don't speak to a guest in our home, like that."  
  
"I'll speak, anyway I see fit. Now let go of me." She struggled with him. She managed to get up and walk away from him. He took hold of her again.  
  
"Frank, don't she didn't mean to say it. She isn't herself," Sab said, hoping to keep them from fighting.  
  
"What do you know? Did you get a medical degree today?" Elaina snapped at her.  
  
"Stop it, Elaina. Apologize to her." Frank spun her around to face Sab and Cody.  
  
Elaina looked at them, her demeanor changed. "I.I'm.Sorry, I said those things to you, I really didn't mean to say them. I don't know what's happening with me, the past few days."  
  
"I think I know. I think these have something to do with it." He showed her that he had the bottle of pills.  
  
"Give those back. My therapist gave them to me for my stress headaches." She tried to get them back but he kept them tightly gripped in his hand.  
  
"What therapist? Allison?"  
  
"No, Dr. Martin. Now give them back." She tried again but Frank didn't let her have them. "Fine, keep them you have to sleep sometime. I'll get them back," Elaina assured him.  
  
"You'll never know where I put them," Frank told her.  
  
"You checked the car tell me what you found." Elaina changed the subject.  
  
"Believe it or not it was Stanhope in the car. He was shot in the same manner as Burrell and his partner," Frank informed her  
  
"Interesting, think his associate did it? Trying to frame us, by bringing him here?"  
  
"Why would he do that?" Frank asked.  
  
"I don't know maybe he didn't want Stanhope around anymore. Maybe he liked being in control."  
  
"That's a good theory, but what does this have to do with Burrell?"  
  
"Maybe they used the same hit man? You're an agent too, think of your own theory." Her character was changing again. "Could be just a vigilante following you and your team, taking out the bad guys for you." Elaina laughed.  
  
"If I didn't know better, I'd say you were drunk, the way you're acting."  
  
"Hey! I'm not the drunk in the family. That w, would b, be Ma.Maria." She had difficulty talking suddenly.  
  
"Now you even sound drunk. There's something wrong with you. I'm going to take you to the hospital."  
  
"Don't you thr.threat.threaten me." She turned to walk away and blacked out again.  
  
Frank caught her and laid her down on the floor. Megan was at the top of the stairs when she saw it happen. She raced down the stairs to see what was going on. Frank noticed Elaina wasn't breathing.  
  
"Meg, she's not breathing." They did CPR on her as Cody called for an ambulance.  
  
"Sab, go up with Sarah," Megan said between breaths. Sab went around them, she started up the steps when she saw Sarah looking down. Sab took her back to her room.  
  
As they were working trying to get Elaina back, Alex and Jake came in. "What happened?" Alex asked Cody.  
  
"She blacked out." Cody was too worried to explain everything.  
  
"Come on, Elaina, come back to us," Megan talked to Elaina as they did CPR. Elaina finally took a breath of her own. Frank checked her pulse, found it to be weak but steady. Frank took the pills from his pocket.  
  
"Jake, take a few of these to the lab and have them analyzed. I want to know everything about them." Jake took a few of the pills and wrapped them up in a tissue. "I let you know the minute they find out."  
  
Sirens could be heard in the distance. Megan was still talking quietly to Elaina trying to get her to wake up. Elaina opened her eyes for a few seconds but closed them again. Frank went up to check on Sarah and found Sab rocking her in Sarah's room.  
  
"Is Elaina okay?" Sab asked as he walked over to take Sarah.  
  
"She's breathing again but not awake." He held Sarah hugging her.  
  
"She saw Elaina on the floor and it scared her."  
  
"I know. It scared me too," He looked at Sarah as he said it. Sarah hugged his neck tight.  
  
"The ambulance is here you better go. I'll try to help Meg find Derek, then Cody and I'll drive him there."  
  
"Thanks, I'd appreciate that. Princess, I have to go somewhere with Momma. You go back to Sabrina." She didn't protest; she went back to Sab and waved goodbye.  
  
As he got downstairs he saw the paramedics checking Elaina. "Cody. Call Monica, tell her to pick up Maria."  
  
"I already did she said they'd meet you there," Cody informed him.  
  
"Thanks." Frank walked out with the paramedics, as they took Elaina out.  
  
******  
  
At the hospital Frank waited for news about his wife, Monica and Maria were there too. Maria tried to keep Frank calm but he kept getting up to pace the floor. Cody and Sab arrived with Derek. Frank took him over to the side and explained the events that led to her being there. It was close to an hour before Doctor Nathan, came out to talk to Frank. "Finally! Daniel, what's going on with her?"  
  
"Let's all sit down, I'll explain. First of all she has suffered a mild stroke." He could feel the shock of everyone having heard the news. "She should recover fully from it. In mild cases the patient rarely has residual affects from them. Her emotions are going to be on a roller coaster when she wakes up."  
  
"That's nothing we can't handle, she's been like before," Frank told him.  
  
"We have done a CT scan. We found very little damage to her brain from the stroke or the lack of oxygen."  
  
"What about the pills I gave you, what are they?" Frank asked.  
  
"They're a mystery to me. I've never seen them before. I have the lab checking them for me."  
  
"I had the same idea. I sent some to our lab to have them analyzed," Frank said, "When can we see her?"  
  
"I'm having her moved to ICU, just overnight to keep a close eye on her. Then, in the morning, if all goes well, she'll be put in a private room. I only want family members in ICU, the others will have to wait until tomorrow to see her."  
  
"We understand," Monica said for everyone.  
  
"Is she awake, to know what happened to her?" Derek wondered.  
  
"She's still in and out of consciousness. I doubt that she wakes up completely until morning. Whatever those pills were, her body was rejecting them which caused her black outs. If she had told me about them today, I might have been able to prevent this."  
  
"She didn't tell me about them until today, so don't feel bad. Do you know her therapist, a Dr. Martin?"  
  
"No, I sent her to a Dr. Vincent. I did hear that he was offered another job at UCLA, so he may have sent her to someone else. I'll have the nurse get you, when we have her settled." He turned his attention to Sab. "Miss Kells, I thought I told you to rest?"  
  
"I'm feeling better, I wouldn't relax not knowing anything."  
  
"I know she's your friend but she wouldn't want you stressing out more because of her. I'll have an aide check your blood pressure." He went back to be with his patient.  
  
"You seemed to have charmed the doctor, Sabrina," Frank teased her.  
  
"I think he's just scared Elaina would hurt him, if he wasn't nice to one of her friends," Sab said smiling.  
  
"That's a definite possibility," Derek said.  
  
*****  
  
The nurse came in a while later carrying a small envelope. "Mr. Donovan this is your wife's jewelry. We had to cut her wedding ring off; her hand swelled from the stroke." She showed him the ring cut in half. "You can come with me now to see her. Family members, only two visitors at a time and fifteen minutes an hour. Those are the doctor's orders."  
  
Frank looked at Derek and Maria. "Who's first?"  
  
"You and Derek of course," Maria said.  
  
"Are you sure, I can wait until later." Derek was a bit apprehensive to see his mother in her present condition.  
  
"I'm sure, go on. If she wakes up, she'll want to see you there," Maria told him.  
  
Cody and Sad were feeling a bit uncomfortable around Maria, so they went for a walk down the hall. Maria had been watching them closely. Frank had warned her not to bother them but she couldn't help but feel a little jealous.  
  
Jake met Sab and Cody in the hall and told them what he found. Cody took the file to read on the way back to the waiting room. "We need to show this to Donovan," Cody said, still reading it.  
  
"Maria, go get Frank for us," Alex suggested.  
  
"What did you find out?" Maria asked Jake.  
  
"You'll find out when he does." Jake was very cold to her.  
  
"Stop treating me, like the dirt you walk on. I do have feelings, too," Maria snapped at him.  
  
"What you did to Sabrina was beyond being forgiven for. I am glad you broke up with me because if you'd done that while we were together, you'd see just how angry I can get."  
  
"I was wrong. I admit that, I'm sorry I ever did it. When I'm jealous of someone I just try to ruin their love for the other person so I can have that love for myself." Maria realized they were all staring at her. She had finally admitted why she had done what she did.  
  
"Maria, go get Donovan, well tell you with him," Cody told her.  
  
"Fine." Maria left but didn't return with Frank, she stayed where she felt safe.  
  
"What did you find out Jake?" Frank took the file from Cody.  
  
"The drug had been stolen about two months ago from a lab in Ohio. It was still in the experimental process. They were developing it for Alzheimer patients. During their studies they found that if they increased the dosage in the lab animals, they could teach them to do things quicker. It acted like a mind control substance. They've never tried it on human subjects, because it was never okayed by the F.D.A."  
  
"Well, it has been now, unfortunately," Monica said.  
  
"Our next move is to find this Dr. Martin that Elaina went to see," Frank said.  
  
"Donovan, I called Andy, he's sending Dee over to take command in the morning. He wants you off the case."  
  
"Under whose authority did you call Andy? I'm the one in charge you aren't."  
  
"Elaina told me once, if she was ever in the hospital and you with her, as she knew you would be, to call Andy, have him decide what to do," Jake informed them.  
  
"She ties my hands even when she can't speak," Frank said under his breath. "Ok but I'm not going to be left in the shadows. I want to know everything you find out as soon as you find it."  
  
"We promise to keep you updated," Alex said.  
  
"All of you go home and get some rest. You can't see her until tomorrow anyway. Sab that means you, too."  
  
"I really don't want to go. I'm fine. They checked my pressure and it's down. I promise to relax in here as much as I can. I want to be here for Derek. You have Maria to lean on, he may need a shoulder, too."  
  
"She won't listen to me either," Cody said, as Frank looked to him to get her to go home.  
  
"What about Maria being here? Doesn't that bother you?"  
  
"I'm all over that, whether she is or not. I have Cody back. That's all that matters to me about that subject," Sab told him.  
  
"Ok, but if I see you and Maria getting into a fight, you're out of here. You got that? The rest of you go home," Frank ordered.  
  
They all took off and Sab curled up in one of the chairs to watch TV in the waiting room. Frank went back in with Elaina, while Maria and Derek came out to let them be alone for a while. Maria sat on the opposite side of the room from Sab.  
  
"Either of you want anything to eat or drink. I'm buying?" Derek asked.  
  
"I'll take some coffee, so sugar," Maria said. "Sabrina, do you want anything?"  
  
"Not right now, maybe later, Derek."  
  
********  
  
Frank defied the doctor's orders and spent most of the night in the room with Elaina. The only time he left was when Maria or Derek forced him to go out. Early the next morning Derek and Sab were asleep in the waiting room when Derek heard a cell phone ringing. He knew it wasn't his so he looked in Sab's bag and found it was hers. It stopped before he could answer it but saw that it was Cody on the ID.  
  
"Sab, wake up." Derek shook her lightly to get her to wake up.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked still sleepy.  
  
"Nothing. You just missed a call from Cody. I shut it off, you can't use it on this floor."  
  
"I thought it was shut off. Thanks, I'll go call him at the payphone." Sab went around the corner to the payphone and called Cody at work.  
  
"Hey, Cody. You went to work earlier than usual," Sab said as he answered.  
  
"I wanted to be ready when everyone got here. Why didn't you answer your cell?"  
  
"Can't use them on this floor."  
  
"Oh yeah I forgot, sorry."  
  
"That's okay. I needed to get up and walk anyway. I hope you can find out something today about the jerk that gave her the drugs."  
  
"Me too. If she wakes up we need a description of the doctor. We all forgot last night."  
  
"I'll see what I can do, when I get to see her or talk to Frank."  
  
"Dee's here, I better go. Catch ya later, Angel."  
  
"Say hey to Dee for me. Bye."  
  
Maria had come in as she was talking to Cody. "I see that Cody didn't forget your morning wake up call," Maria said.  
  
"True, he does call me every morning, if he can't come by." Sab figured it wouldn't hurt to try to have a civil conversation, since Derek was there.  
  
"Yes, I remember how he came over every morning to drive you to work when I stayed with you. That's a mistake I'll ever make again."  
  
"I didn't think you could keep it civil. You had to make a comment to try to start a fight. Guess what, it isn't going to work," Sab stated as she went for a walk down the hall.  
  
******  
  
Frank had sat down in the chair next to Elaina's bed and put his head down next to her hand to rest but he fell asleep. Elaina started to wake up a few minutes later. She was confused at first as to where she was. She heard the heart monitor above her and it clicked that she was in the hospital.  
  
She turned her head to the side to see Frank asleep next to her. She tried to move her hand but couldn't. 'Must be asleep too.' She thought, trying again to move it. She tried to call out to him but found that difficult as well. She cleared her throat to try again but couldn't. Her trying to talk woke Frank; he saw that she was getting frustrated and about to panic.  
  
"Lady, don't worry, you'll be okay." He held her left hand; she tried to hold his but was barely able to move it. "You had a mild stroke. Daniel said you'll be okay in a few days."  
  
Elaina started to cry. Frank walked to the other side of the bed, to sit down to hold her. She realized that she was able to move her right hand. She tapped him on the shoulder and he pulled back from her. She signed to him having to spell out words that she needed both hands for.  
  
She asked Frank, 'What happened to me?'  
  
"The pills you were given by the therapist, you were seeing caused it."  
  
'How?' She signed.  
  
"We can talk later when you're stronger. You're going to be fine," Frank assured her, then he saw her sign something else.  
  
'Don't let Derek see me like this.'  
  
Frank saw in her eyes how upset she was. "He's been here all night. He knows what happened. He's handling it."  
  
"I.I'm.not! Elaina managed to speak.  
  
"Ok. I'll ask him to stay out for a while, until you get adjusted to this."  
  
"I.love.you." She smiled at being able to say it to him.  
  
"I love you too, Lady. You're doing pretty good at talking."  
  
She reached up to touch his face and then his lips. "Kiss."  
  
"I think, I can handle that request." Frank leaned in over to kiss her. She didn't want to stop. He finally broke the kiss.  
  
"Nice."  
  
"Like that did you? I did too." Frank gave her another kiss as the doctor walked in.  
  
"Well! I guess I don't need to ask how you feel. Glad to see you awake."  
  
"She hasn't talked much, she does sign one handed though," Frank told the doctor as he moved from the bed.  
  
"I guess you better stick around in case she signs for me." The doctor took hold of her hand. "Squeeze it as much as you can." Elaina concentrated on her hand being able to move it more than she had when Frank held it. "Not bad. You'll get better at it with practice," he encouraged her.  
  
He pulled the sheet up over her feet. He checked her reflexes by running a depressor down each foot. She pulled the right foot up away from him, the left she barely wiggled. He then tested her sensitivity by sticking her left foot with a pin.  
  
"OW!" she didn't have to sign it.  
  
"Felt that, did you?" The doctor grinned at her. She returned a not so nice gesture to him. "No need to translate that sign. I've seen it on the highway. I think that's a first though for the hospital."  
  
"Elaina, be nice and put the bird back in its cage," Frank laughed and so did Elaina.  
  
"That's a good sign that she can laugh. I'm going to have a physical and speech therapist come in to work with her later. The sooner we get her started, the quicker she'll be back to normal."  
  
"She's never been normal, Daniel," Frank said teasing her.  
  
"Sh.shut up," Elaina managed to say.  
  
"Keep talking, it will do you good. Sign only if you have trouble with a word. Frank, if she can't say a word write it down, so the speech therapist can work with her."  
  
"I can do that," Frank said, as the doctor went out.  
  
"Frank."  
  
"Yes, Lady?"  
  
"M.my ri.ring," She stuttered but manages to say it.  
  
"I have it. They had to cut it off when your hand swelled. Don't worry, I'll get you a new one."  
  
"Let's see it," She told him. Frank took the ring from his pocket and showed her. "Keep it."  
  
"I'm not parting with it." He placed it back in his pocket. She had tears in her eyes again, he wiped them away, then sat and held her until she fell asleep.  
  
*****  
  
Back at the nest Dee was settling into her job as leader. She had been second in command on a few assignments but never leader. She was both thrilled and a little scared. She found the files for the case they were to go over. She walked back downstairs seeing that everyone had made it there on time.  
  
"Ok, we know that the three targets from the two cases were shot in the same manner. Ballistics show that it was probably the same gun, so we know it was probably the same person. We also know that Elaina was given an experimental drug that was stolen two months ago. That means that the doctor was either an impostor or was being paid for some reason to give it to her. Have I missed anything?" Dee asked.  
  
"Elaina said before she collapsed, that maybe it was the same hit man that did the murders or a vigilante," Cody told her.  
  
"We have the address of the office. Jake, Cody, go over there see if you can find anyone that knows what this Dr. Martin looks like in case Elaina can't tell us. There maybe prints in the office, so check that and any security cameras in the vicinity."  
  
"We'll do our best," Cody said grabbing his jacket.  
  
"Monica, find out how many Dr. Martins, there are with the AMA. Hopefully there are a few that are Psychiatrists." 


	4. The Mystery Unravels

Chapter 4  
  
They moved Elaina into a private room and Sab finally went in to see her. "Hey Elaina. What's up?"  
  
"Me, barely." Elaina was sitting up with Frank holding her.  
  
"You don't sound as bad as they said."  
  
"She has improved a great deal, since we talked this morning. The more she talks the better she gets," Frank said proudly.  
  
"I'm supposed to find out what the doctor looked like. Otherwise we'll never find him."  
  
"I guess that's a problem." Elaina stopped to think for a minute. "He's about 6'2", 185, mid forty's, short dark hair, he had a dialect that he tried to hide, he wasn't very good at it."  
  
"What kind of dialect?" Frank asked.  
  
"Irish or Scottish, something from that area."  
  
"What about a first name?" Sab asked as she made notes.  
  
"Dillon."  
  
"That'll help in finding out if he's a real doctor. Jake and Cody are checking out the office. Dee also told them to find any type of security tapes they could in hopes of getting a picture."  
  
"Dee seems to be doing a good job, even recruiting someone that isn't suppose to be working yet." Frank looked at Sab.  
  
"I'm not working exactly. I'm here and they need the info, so I volunteered to get it."  
  
"How often have you called them?" Elaina inquired.  
  
"I've talked to Cody early this morning and I called Dee after you were moved in here."  
  
"Why don't you call Dee from in here, let her know the description." Frank handed her the phone after dialing the number. Elaina and Frank realized that Dee was saying more than Sab; which told them something was up.  
  
"What's wrong?" Elaina asked as she hung up.  
  
"I need to talk to Frank, alone," Sab told her.  
  
"No you don't. Talk in front of me or not at all," Elaina insisted. Frank shook his head in agreement.  
  
"This is just a theory they have, I don't like it. I'm just the messenger."  
  
"Tell me Sabrina," Elaina demanded.  
  
"They think you may have been the shooter."  
  
"Just how did they come to that conclusion?" Frank was angry.  
  
"Because they're right. I did do it," Elaina confessed.  
  
"What did you say?" Frank was totally shocked.  
  
"I've been having memory flashes. My talking in my sleep was me remembering."  
  
"We asked you about that, when it happened. Why didn't you tell me then?"  
  
"If you remember, I was a bit under the influence and my head was exploding in pain."  
  
"Sorry, I just wish you could've told me before." Frank hugged her closer to him.  
  
"Why didn't you say something to him when you started talking?" Sab asked.  
  
"Are trying to get me in trouble?" Elaina joked but no one laughed.  
  
"Why didn't you say something?" Frank asked her this time.  
  
"I wasn't sure that what I was seeing was real, but if they have the theory that it was me, then maybe it is."  
  
"What are we going to do now?" Sab wondered.  
  
"You're going to go get my gun and take it to them," Elaina informed her.  
  
"You're going to give them evidence against yourself?"  
  
"Sabrina, I was drugged, I wasn't in control of my actions. There's no judge or jury that would convict me."  
  
"Besides she has enough money to pay off a judge, should it get that far." They looked up to see Maria.  
  
"Very funny, cousin. But it's true," Elaina agreed.  
  
"Maria, stay with her. I want someone with her at all times," Frank ordered.  
  
"Afraid I'll run away?" Elaina asked.  
  
"No, afraid that the good doctor may return to take you out."  
  
"My friend and I'll be right here with her." Maria showed she had her gun with her.  
  
"Sab and I'll go get the gun and take it to Dee. I'll be back before the physical therapist gets here." Frank kissed her goodbye.  
  
"Where's Derek?" Elaina asked Maria as Frank and Sab left.  
  
"He went to my place to get some sleep, you don't mind do you?"  
  
"No. I'm grateful he actually went."  
  
"He said he wanted to be back for your therapy."  
  
"Good speaking of therapy, how is yours going?"  
  
"Fine, next subject." Maria wasn't going to discuss it.  
  
"I think I'll just take a nap." Elaina wasn't going to fight with her.  
  
******  
  
Frank and Sab brought the gun back to HQ and handed it to Dee. "I want to know what the tests show, good or bad," Frank told her.  
  
"I'm not going to hide anything from you, I promise," Dee assured him.  
  
"What brought you to this theory that my wife is a killer?" He didn't want them to know she said to him.  
  
"Well from what Cody and Sab told me about Elaina talking in her sleep as well as knowing she was taking a mind control drug, I just put two and two together."  
  
"Have they found any security tapes yet?" Frank asked.  
  
"They just called in they're bringing in a few. There was an ATM across the road and the building itself has security cameras, so hopefully we should find something out soon."  
  
"I have to get back with Elaina, Sab are you coming?"  
  
"I'm going to stick around and help here. I won't over stress myself," She promised, noting he was about to say something.  
  
"Don't tell them what Elaina said to us," he whispered to her. "I'll see all of you later." Frank took off back to the hospital.  
  
******  
  
Later that afternoon Elaina met her physical therapist. Frank and Derek were in the room with her when he came in.  
  
"Hello Mrs. Donovan, I'm Billy Logan your therapist. You lucked out with me I'm also a speech therapist."  
  
"Good, one less name to remember." Elaina smiled at him and shook his hand. "Tall, dark and handsome is my husband, Frank and the other handsome guy is my son, Derek."  
  
"You're much too young to have a son that age," Billy complimented her.  
  
"I like you. You can stay as long as you want." Elaina started flirting with him. "If they leave us alone who knows what will happen."  
  
"Watch it, Lady," Frank warned. "Remember, I do carry a gun."  
  
"So do I but not at the moment," She said winking at Frank.  
  
"I take it you two are cops?" Billy asked.  
  
"Sort of. We're federal agents," Elaina told him.  
  
"I know a few of those. I'm originally from Atlanta. I gave therapy to a few agents down there."  
  
"I'd never have guessed from the southern accent," she teased him. "I guess we should get this therapy started."  
  
"From what I'm hearing you don't need me as a speech therapist. You seem to be doing good on your own."  
  
"Once she started talking, we couldn't get her to stop. She keeps getting better and better," Derek told him.  
  
"That's normally all it takes in cases like hers. Well, I guess we'll start on your leg then." He went to work showing Derek and Frank the exercises she should do to strengthen her leg muscles. Then did the same for her arm and hand. They worked together for an hour. "I think we've done enough for today, there's a rumor going around that Dr. Nathan is sending you home very soon."  
  
"I like that rumor, he knows I hate this place," Elaina told him.  
  
"I'll be back tomorrow, and when you're released, we'll have one or two sessions at your house."  
  
"Sounds good to me. Do you like horses, Billy? I'd love to go horseback riding again, between the weather and my hospital stays, I haven't had much of a chance."  
  
"Yes I do. I use horses as therapy for paralysis victims the movement of the horse massages certain muscles and it helps with the therapy. Horseback riding is great for your condition too. As long as you don't fall off."  
  
"I've never fallen off a horse, knocked off yes but not fallen." She looked at Frank as the culprit of being knocked off of the horse.  
  
"I think I have a proposition for you Billy," Frank said thinking about what Billy had said.  
  
"What would that be?" Billy asked.  
  
"Our ranch in Montana is a working ranch, I figured we could make our ranch here useful, too. How would you like to use our horses in your therapy sessions with your patients?"  
  
"They would have to be train to be around wheelchairs, some horses shy from them and the horses have to be really gentle."  
  
"I can handle that. I'm also a horse trainer in my free time," Elaina said proudly. "I think my husband has a great idea."  
  
"I'll definitely think it over and get back to you. I'll see you tomorrow, maybe, I'll have answer for you." Billy left them alone.  
  
"You think pretty fast, I do like the idea for the ranch," Elaina told him.  
  
"Hey, how did it go?" Maria walked in the room.  
  
"Pretty good, Mom likes him and was flirting with him the whole time."  
  
"With Frank and a gun in the room; living dangerously, cousin."  
  
"I think I'll go home and tell Sarah and Meg the good news, that you may be home soon," Derek said.  
  
"When you come back, have Becky bring your car and you drive mine, so it's here when I get to take your Mom home. If she hasn't dumped you?" Frank joked.  
  
"No, she hasn't dumped me. I'll be back in a few hours, you want anything from home?"  
  
"No just give my baby girl a kiss for me," Elaina said.  
  
"I will. Love you." He kissed her and left the room.  
  
"I've got to go, too, cousin. I have to work at the restaurant tonight."  
  
"Everybody is deserting me," Elaina said pouting.  
  
"Not me sweetheart, I'm here until you go home." Frank hugged her. "Do this cousin a favor, will you?"  
  
"Sure as long as it's legal," Maria quipped.  
  
"Bring us food that's edible. How they expect a person to get well eating the food here is beyond me," Frank said, playing with the food tray.  
  
"I'll send something over from the restaurant." Maria waved as she left.  
  
"Alone at last," Frank whispered to her. Then phone in her room rang. "Donovan."  
  
"We have the report back on her gun, it was the same one used in the murders," Dee informed him.  
  
"What about the tapes?"  
  
"We have a few possibilities Cody and Sab are making enhancements to bring to her for ID. Is she doing ok, knowing what we think?"  
  
"She's fine, doing better all the time," Frank said, not wanting her to realize what Dee was asking him.  
  
"I'll let you go, they should have the pictures in a couple of hours."  
  
"We'll be waiting." Frank hung up.  
  
"Ballistics matched and Dee wants to know how I'm taking their suspicions," Elaina said as he held her again.  
  
"How do you do that?"  
  
"I heard her talking; if you didn't want me to hear, you should have moved. I think I could use another nap since therapy is over. You don't mind do you?"  
  
"Not at all. As a matter of fact I'll join you. You would, enjoy that?"  
  
"Damn straight. I love having you beside me." She moved over in the bed as he got in beside her holding her close to him.  
  
*****  
  
A couple of hours later Sab and Cody showed up with the photos they had enhanced. "These are the ones we have so far that match the description you gave us," Cody told her as he laid them out.  
  
Elaina took her time looking them over. "He's not here, sorry."  
  
"We have more tapes to go through, maybe he'll be on them," Sab hoped.  
  
"Frank, I know I've seen Dr. Martin somewhere before I just can't place him." Elaina looked at the pictures again this time she did recognize someone. "Look, Frank, isn't that Moran, Stanhope's associate?"  
  
Frank took the picture from her and studied it. "Looks like him, only his hair is darker and he has glasses."  
  
"If it is, we now have a connection to me and the Stanhope killing," Elaina said. "Now if we can just figure out the connection to Burrell and the person who took the pictures that were sent to me, we'd solve this thing."  
  
"We aren't solving anything. We are off the case remember?" Frank reminded her.  
  
"I remember but I can still make suggestions and find clues. Most of which are in my brain and not wanting to come to the surface."  
  
"They will in time, hopefully," Cody said, picking up the pictures.  
  
"Cody, didn't you run these faces through the data base?" Frank asked.  
  
"Sure, I did but nothing came up," Cody answered.  
  
"That's strange, you should have gotten a hit on Moran. I know he's in it, I put the information in myself."  
  
"The computer glitch Cody had. You think someone did something then?" Elaina asked.  
  
"I still haven't figured it out yet, even Sab has looked and can't find anything wrong."  
  
"Check with the other tech ops, ask them if they had problems the day you did," Frank told him.  
  
"Ok, if they did then someone has played with the whole network," Sab figured.  
  
"That would be my thinking yes," Elaina agreed.  
  
"Cody, why don't you go on out. I need to talk to Frank and Elaina about something in private," Sab asked him quietly.  
  
"Alrighty. Don't take long I want to get back to the tapes."  
  
"I won't be long." She watched him go out. "Unless the two of you kill me."  
  
"Why would we want to kill you?" Frank asked, wondering what she had to say.  
  
"I kind of know who sent the pictures to Elaina." She braced herself for the barrage of questions.  
  
"Tell us, how you know." Elaina stared at her.  
  
"It was me. But I had good reason at the time to do it," She added quickly.  
  
"Explain and fast," Frank ordered her.  
  
"I overheard you talking to Maria, it sounded like you and she were making a date. I thought Maria was up to her old tricks. I wanted Elaina to know before Maria totally destroyed your marriage."  
  
"I'd never do that to Elaina. I was making a date but it was for a case we were working," Frank explained.  
  
"I didn't know. I just knew that I didn't want Elaina to go through what I went through," Sab said looking at the floor.  
  
"Too late Sabrina, been there done that." Elaina got a furious look from Frank, saying what she did.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sab asked.  
  
"Nothing, forget I said anything," Elaina told her. "I for one, am actually glad you did it. It means that it wasn't some unknown person following them that could hurt the case or them."  
  
"So you aren't mad at me, or want me to leave and never come back?" Sab asked somewhat relieved.  
  
"You're forgiven but next time, get your facts straight first," Frank warned her.  
  
"I promise, I learned my lesson. I better go, we have a lot of work to do yet."  
  
"Take care of your self," Elaina said as she was leaving.  
  
"Well, that's one less thing to occupy my mind," Frank said.  
  
"Good, more room for me in there." Elaina smiled and kissed him.  
  
"You're always in my mind." He kissed her not letting go of her until she broke the kiss.  
  
"You keep that up we're going to be in a lot of trouble."  
  
"I thrive on trouble, didn't you know that," He smirked at her.  
  
"I think you need to go for a long walk, before we get into a compromising situation and a nurse or someone comes in."  
  
"Ok but a walk isn't going to be half as much fun." Frank walked out of the room. He didn't want to get too far away. He wanted to be able to see the room. The hallway was practically deserted visiting hours were over. He walked down the hall glancing back to Elaina's door making sure no one entered.  
  
Suddenly he was hit in the head dazing him but not knocking him out completely. He felt himself being dragged in to the stairway and being tied up. His head was hurting as he tried to focus his eyes but he couldn't. He was then hit again; everything went black.  
  
******  
  
It was morning when Frank awoke to a familiar voice talking to him. He was in a room now. He finally focused his eyes to see Derek standing next to him.  
  
"Dad, I'm so glad you finally woke up, we didn't think you ever would."  
  
"What happened to me? How long was I out?" Frank asked.  
  
"You were hit over the head and tied up in the stairway. You've been out for a few hours," Jake told him.  
  
"Where's Elaina?" He tried to get up realizing, he was in her bed but his head wouldn't allow it.  
  
"Someone got her after they knocked you out. We've looked everywhere but can't find any sign of her."  
  
"What about the security cameras?" Frank asked.  
  
"Cody checked, they were went down when the time it happened," Jake told him.  
  
"That's becoming a regular occurrence lately," Frank said irritated from the answers he was getting and his head. "I wish I'd given her the bracelet back. Damn it! Why did I leave her? I should've never gone for that walk."  
  
"Don't beat yourself up about Dad, if you had been here, they could've killed you or Mom in a struggle," Derek told him.  
  
"He's right Frank they wanted her for some reason and they would have done anything to get her," Jake stated, as Frank tried to get out of bed again.  
  
"We need to find her and fast before something happens to her," Frank said, as he sat on the edge of the bed.  
  
"Jake, we got a lead," Alex said running into the room. "Nice to see you awake," she said to Frank.  
  
"What kind of lead do you have?" Frank asked.  
  
"The clinic across the road had security camera's going. Cody checked, it caught two men putting Elaina in a car."  
  
"What kind of car, a Taurus?" Frank wondered.  
  
"Yeah, how did you know?" Alex asked.  
  
"It followed us the other day. Lets go find that car." Frank got up to walk and Derek steadied him. He knew better than to try to stop him.  
  
When they got to the car Derek made him get in the passenger side. "I believe, Jake can drive. I'll follow in my car." Derek gave Jake the keys.  
  
Alex pulled out ahead of Jake and Frank then Derek followed them. They went to HQ to meet with the rest of the team. Cody and Sab were at the operations board with Monica. Dee was on the phone when they came in.  
  
The phone rang. "It's your office phone," Cody said transferring it to the line there.  
  
"Donovan."  
  
"Mr. Donovan, I was wondering if you would like to keep the meeting you had with Mr. Stanhope?" The man on the other end was Moran, Stanhope's associate.  
  
"I was under the impression that Stanhope couldn't make it."  
  
"Well he can't, but I'm carrying on in his place. Our group would still like to have you and your wife join us. I'm still willing to meet your price."  
  
"When and where do you want to meet?" Frank asked.  
  
"How about tonight, 8:00. We can meet at your hotel room."  
  
"I was moved two doors down the hall. We had a break in," Frank told him.  
  
"It's a pity what the world is coming to. Oh and please bring your beautiful wife with you."  
  
"I'll see if she can make it." Frank hung up the phone. "Moran wants to meet me tonight. Told me to bring my wife."  
  
"Maybe he doesn't have her. Or he knows Maria was taking her place, wants you to bring her too," Dee said.  
  
"If he has Elaina, what are his plans? To take the three of us out?" Frank wondered.  
  
"Where are you to meet?" Alex asked.  
  
"At the hotel room at the Four Seasons," Frank answered.  
  
"I guess we better go set it up, so you're not flying blind," Cody said getting up.  
  
"They may be watching the room. They had the first one bugged without me knowing it." Frank stopped to think a moment. "Why would they ransack a room when they had it bugged and knew our every move?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Cody asked.  
  
"Elaina and I went to the hotel the other day. When we got there she noticed it had been broken into.before she was completely in the door."  
  
"Are you saying she knew it before she walked in?" Monica asked.  
  
"I never realized, until now but yes she knew. She had to be the one that did it."  
  
"Why would she tear up a hotel room?" Derek wondered.  
  
"I think I know. If she was fighting the drug she may've done it to warn you, someway," Monica said.  
  
"But she didn't know I was working a case, until that morning she came here to confront me."  
  
"She may have but the drugs blocked it," Monica said.  
  
"When was the last time you were in the room, prior to you going there with her?" Dee asked.  
  
"The night before," Frank said, starting to pace the floor.  
  
"She could've tore the room up that night or early the next morning. You did say she left early," Jake stated.  
  
"She worked late that night too," Derek added.  
  
"I'll be right back, I just remembered something." Frank went to his office and came back down with the bug he found in the room. "Cody trace this and see where it came from."  
  
"No need to trace it. I know where it came from. This is the type C.I.A. use, not as clear as mine but they do, to listen in with."  
  
"That proves she was there," Frank said. "It also proves, if she was told to do it, Moran knows that it wasn't her, the night we met."  
  
"Monica, call Maria get her over here," Dee ordered. "She maybe in danger, too."  
  
"She may not be, yet. But if she goes with me tonight we both will be, along with Elaina where ever she is." 


	5. Let's Make a Deal

CHAPTER 5  
  
It was 7:30 when Frank and Maria arrived at the hotel. Dee, Alex and Jake walked the parking lot to see if the light blue Taurus was there anywhere. When they didn't find it they went back to the van to watch and listen. Sab dressed as part of the housekeeping crew checked the room for bugs but didn't find any. She put the cameras in place for Cody and then left.  
  
"At least we know they aren't listening in." Maria was relieved she didn't have to pretend to be Elaina all the time.  
  
"I hope he's on time. I hate waiting," Frank said sitting down.  
  
"I hate the not knowing," Maria said watching out the window.  
  
"We have company, the car just pulled in to the lot," Cody said over the headset.  
  
"I guess he's going to be punctual." Maria walked over to the mirror to check her wig. "What do I care if it looks good, I'll probably get shot anyway."  
  
"Maria."  
  
"Yeah. I know don't think about it."  
  
"Only one person got out. It's Moran," Sab told him.  
  
"We all know what to do, so let's go." Dee said putting her jacket on. Jake, Alex, Monica and Dee went out of the van and into the hotel. Monica and Alex took the stairway and Dee and Jake took the elevator to the floor Frank and Maria were on.  
  
There was a knock at the door and Frank answered it. "Mr. Moran, good to see you again. Please come in."  
  
"Agent Donovan and Donovan. I swear Mrs. Donovan you get more beautiful every time we meet." "It's all in the lighting or your imagination," Maria said dryly.  
  
"Always witty, too."  
  
"Shall we get down to business?" Frank asked.  
  
"Yes, our group has decided to pay you each ten million dollars, to be put in Swiss accounts under the names Frank and Elaina Samuels. Is that correct?"  
  
"Yes it is," Frank affirmed.  
  
"Good, we'll transfer the funds right now." He took out a laptop and set it on the table next to the phone. "This shouldn't take long all you have to do is enter in the account number for me and we'll have held up our part of the deal." Frank entered the account number, he was wondering if Moran was going to say anything about Elaina. "Well that settles half of the deal. We've only your word that you'll hold up your end of the bargain. I've a problem with that, so I'm going to make sure you cooperate fully with us." Moran pulled a gun on them. "Please remove your weapons and throw them over there. Please be very careful."  
  
"Here we go," Cody said to Sab as they watched.  
  
"It's Elaina," Monica said from the stairway looking into the hall. "She came out of the room across the hall."  
  
"Is there anyone with her?" Dee asked, not being able to look out of the room, she and Jake were in down the hall.  
  
"No, she's alone," Monica said watching Elaina. "If they drugged her again, I can't tell it."  
  
Elaina looked behind her to see a gun pointing at her. She went to the door and knocked. Moran opened the door for her.  
  
"Meet our insurance policy, that you do as we say. Miss Andrews, Mr. Donovan." Moran held the gun to Elaina's head.  
  
"There's another person coming from the room. I can't see his face clear. He's going to their room." Alex said.  
  
"What do you want us to find out?"  
  
"Absolutely nothing. You see one person in my group of associates wants to see the three of you dead. I'm sorry, Miss Andrews but you can blame your death on your cousin here. He got you involved. We really just wanted the Donovans' but since you've become involved, you must parish with them."  
  
"Exactly who wants us dead?" Frank asked.  
  
The door opened and another man came in. "May I present Dr. Martin, or should I say, Mr. Simon Ritger."  
  
"Hello Mr. Donovan. I finally meet the man that killed my brother Martin*. I've been waiting for this day for almost a year now. I'll finally have my revenge by watching your wife kill you the in the same manner you killed him."  
  
Frank looked at Elaina. She looked as if she were drugged again. Their only hope was that he was wrong and that she had control of herself. Maria was looking at her too, wishing there'd be some sign that Elaina was in control and not the drugs. Moran took the gun from Elaina's head. "Here you go, Elaina. I think you know what to do with it."  
  
Elaina took the gun and checked it out. She pointed the gun first at Frank and then Maria. "I think I shall enjoy this." Elaina smiled at them. "I wish I could take you both at once it would be much simpler than to decide who goes first." Elaina raised the gun toward Maria again. "I have a very good idea. Why don't you both sit on the couch. That way when they find the bodies, it would look like I found the two of you together and then took my own life." Elaina motioned for them to move.  
  
Frank realized that their guns were near the couch. He still wasn't sure if she was doing this or the drugs so he watched her carefully. "Elaina, you really don't want to do this, think about please." Frank thought talking might help him decide.  
  
"Shut up. I've heard all your lies before. I've decided that you'll be the first to go. And now would be a good time for it." She pointed the gun at Frank but quickly turned and shot Ritger instead as Frank and Maria got to their guns. They both shot at Moran, who was pulling another gun.  
  
Elaina walked over to Ritger and checked his pulse. "I guess, you'll see your brother again."  
  
Frank walked over to Elaina as Jake and the others came in. "You had me wondering there for a while. I wasn't sure if they had drugged you again or not." Frank held her.  
  
"Hate to tell you this but they did give me the drug again."  
  
"But you didn't shoot us," Maria said.  
  
"I said they the gave it to me, I didn't say I swallowed it."  
  
"I acted as if I did but when they went into another room, I coughed it back up." Elaina's smile was devious.  
  
"You seem to be doing ok, considering they kidnapped you from the hospital. You're walking, talking and your aim is exceptional," Dee commented.  
  
"Daniel said I'd be back to normal quickly, I guess he was right." Elaina smiled.  
  
"You have never been normal, my Lady," Frank teased her again.  
  
"Frank."  
  
"Yes Elaina?"  
  
"I'm still holding a gun in my hand." Elaina smiled.  
******  
  
The few days later Frank and Elaina were to meet with Andy in Elaina's office to go over the events of the past week.  
  
"It seems odd to be back here for some reason," Elaina said sitting at her desk.  
  
"It's just because you've been through a lot in the past week."  
  
"I suppose so. I don't remember too much about the past couple of weeks." Elaina looked at her watch. "Andy is late."  
  
"Gives us more time to talk," Frank told her. "I talked to you enough last night."  
  
"I think we should go pick out a new ring for you today," Frank commented.  
  
"Why do you want me to pick it out?"  
  
"So I know you'll love it so much you'll leave it on."  
  
"It wasn't my fault this time, it had to be cut off," Elaina said looking at her hand.  
  
"I know that but if you go back to doing field work, you'll probably try to find a reason to take it off."  
  
"What makes you think I'm going back on my promise?"  
  
"You can't stay behind that desk anymore than I can. Your face lit up when I said you could work a case with me. Even though you were drugged out of your mind, you still thrive on working outside of here."  
  
"I made you a promise. I'm not going back to doing field work on one condition, no make that two."  
  
"This should be good. What are the conditions?"  
  
Elaina got up and waked around to sit in the chair next to him. "First condition; if you ever have a case where you need me, I get to work it with you and only then I'll work a case. You're going to love this next one. Second condition; I want to get remarried in a big ceremony."  
  
"Why do you want a big wedding?" Frank asked.  
  
"How did we get married the first time?"  
  
"Ok. I see your point in wanting a different ceremony but why big? Can't it be just you, me Megan and the kids?"  
  
"Because I want my dream wedding that turned into a Vegas quickie wedding."  
  
"I never knew you wanted a dream wedding. You never even agreed to marry me exactly, we just got married."  
  
"I think I agreed when I said, I do." There was a knock on the door. "Come on in join the party."  
  
Andy came in with files in his hands. "I have good news and I have bad news, which you want first."  
  
"Oh, what the hell give me the bad first." Elaina went back around and sat at her desk.  
  
"Well I talked to our boss and he thinks you should see the company psychiatrist a few times to make sure there are no more problems with your mind. Until then you're to stay on sick leave." Andy saw her getting angry at the news. "Don't shoot the messenger."  
  
"I'm fine my doctor said the drug was completely out of my body. I should be in total control of all my actions."  
  
"That would be a first," Frank commented.  
  
"I don't need you chiming in, either." She glared at him.  
  
"I talked to Allison and she put me under hypnosis to help me remember every thing I did under the drug, isn't that enough for him?" "It's just a precaution, if it were some other agent you'd tell them the same thing," Andy said.  
  
"Ok, you're right now give me the good news."  
  
"Since you remembered everything with your hypnosis session you've been cleared of the shootings and no charges from Internal Affairs are going to be filed. The computer glitch that Cody experienced has been found it was a virus sent through the system and has been fixed."  
  
"He'll be happy to know that," Frank said.  
  
"Did you find the Burrell's drug shipment before Moran's group got hold of it?" Elaina asked.  
  
"No but the D.E.A is looking for it. They figure it's already on the streets somewhere."  
  
"I wish I could've remembered sooner," Elaina said.  
  
"At least you remembered that's the main thing, and you get more time off." Andy smiled at her.  
  
"Just what I need. I guess I can go back to training the horses, instead of Derek."  
  
"He'll be heartbroken. He'll just have to spend more time with his girlfriend to get over it." Frank was being sarcastic.  
  
"Well I guess I can go home then. Thanks for the news, Andy." Elaina got up from her chair.  
  
"Too bad I couldn't welcome you back to work, I could use the help." Andy got up to leave, too.  
  
"That's the only reason I didn't hurt you. I know I'll have my revenge through all the work you have because I'm not here." Elaina gave him a devilish smile.  
  
"See you in a few days. Bye."  
  
"Bye Andy." Elaina turned her attention to Frank. "I guess you can go back to work now, since you know I'm not going to jail and need bail money." Elaina laughed.  
  
"You think, I would bail you out?"  
  
"You better bail me out if I ever get into trouble, course if I'm in there for hurting or killing you I guess I'd have to get Mom and Dad to bail me out," Elaina thought.  
  
"So when you come back to work, how many field cases are you going to do?" Frank asked as he opened the door for her.  
  
"Why do you keep asking me that, all you have to do is agree to a big wedding?"  
  
Frank considered it as they walked down the hall. "Just how big of a wedding is this going to be, if we have it?"  
  
"Your family, my family, our extended family and whoever else I think to invite."  
  
"Our two families in the same place, that would be interesting, since they've only met once before."  
  
"So are we going to get hitched again?" They get on the elevator.  
  
"I'm not helping, I'm leaving it all to you." Frank was hoping that would discourage a big wedding.  
  
"That's okay I think I know of a couple of people I can get to help me. Thanks you'll love what I have planned."  
  
"You already started planning before you asked me?"  
  
"I like being prepared, besides I knew you wouldn't deny me what I wanted. You love me too much."  
  
"You're right I do love you."  
*Kidnapper from 'Fathers and Sons' episode. 


End file.
